Electrical terminal



June 1969 .1. FITZPATRICK 3,452,324

ELECTRICAL TERMINAL Filed Oct. 4 1967 INVENTOR JOHN F/TZPATR/CK .4 ZORA/5K5 United States Patent 3,452,324 ELECTRICAL TERMINAL JohnFitzpatrick, North Arlington, N.J., assignor to g'homas & BettsCorporation, a corporation of New ersey Filed Oct. 4, 1967, Ser. No.672,867 Int. Cl. H01r 13/24 US. Cl. 339-256 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE In many electrical and electronic applications, it is oftendesirable to provide terminals which may be quickly connected anddisconnected, but which are positively engaged when connected. One suchsystem utilizes a pair of terminals, one of which has a femalereceptacle box and the other of which has a male blade adapted to beinserted into the female box. In order that the male blade is heldwithin the female box, it is desirable that engaging means be providedon either or both of the female and male terminals. Heretofore, suchengaging means have not always succeeded in maintaining the terminals inpositive engagement. It is also desirable that means be provided to varythe force required to insert and retract the male blade and to preventthe male blade from binding during initial insertion into the femalereceptacle box.

According to the present invention, there is provided a terminal havinga female receptacle box which obviates the objections of prior terminalsand incorporates the desirable features set out hereinabove. In general,the terminal of the present invention has a female receptacle box with apyramidally shaped bottom having a detent at the apex thereof,longitudinally extending side walls and downwardly extending railsspaced from the detent.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide anelectrical terminal having a female receptacle box which is simple andeconomical of manufacture.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electricalterminal having a female receptacle box wherein means are provided toallow insertion of a male blade thereinto without binding but to providepositive engagement of the male blade and female box.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide anelectrical terminal having a female receptacle box wherein means areprovided whereby the insertion and retraction force may be held constantor may be varied.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provideproduction die control of the internal mating surfaces especially wherethe female and male portion engage in order to provide positive locking.

Other objects and advantages will be evident from the followingdescription and drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the terminalof the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional elevational View taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional elevational view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a male blade adapted to be mated withthe terminal of FIG. 1; and

FIGURE 5 is a partially sectional elevational vieW taken along line 55of FIG. 4.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURES 1-3, there is shown aterminal 10 of conductive material such as copper or the like having afemale receptacle box 12, a neck 14 and a suitable electrical conductorreceiving portion (not shown). The conductor receiving portion ofterminal 10 may be of any well-known shape and forms no part of thepresent invention.

Female receptacle box 12 comprises a pyramidally shaped bottom havingintegrally formed members 16, 18, 20 and 22 of substantially triangularshape, said members upwardly converging to an apex portion 24. Member 16has an apex or detent 26 which juts above and beyond apex 28 of member20 to form a detent to be explained in greater detail hereinafter.Integral with the longitudinally extending bases of members 18 and 22are side walls 30 and 32 which extend upwardly from the bottom of box12. Member 16 is provided with bevelled lip 33 to facilitate connectionof terminal 10 with a mating terminal.

A pair of rails 34 and 36 are integral respectively with walls 30 and 32and preferably extend downwardly to form acute angles therewith. Thelower longitudinally extending corners 38 and 40 of rails 34 and 36 arerounded to permit consistent insertion and retraction of a male blade tobe described in greater detail hereinafter. The spacing of corners 38and 40 from detent apex 26 will determine the force of insertion andretraction of said to be described male blade.

Referring now to FIGURES 4 and 5 there is shown a male terminal 42 thatmay be mated with terminal 10. As shown, terminal 42 is of conductivematerial and comprises a male blade 44, a neck 46 and an electrical conductor receiving portion (not shown) of any well-known shape. Blade 44is of generally rectangular shape and of such dimensions as to be snuglyheld within box 12 when mated therewith. Blade 44 has a bevelled frontend portion 46 which facilitates insertion of blade 44 into box 12.Protruding members 48 and 50 of blade 44 are adapted to engage the frontedges of side walls 30 and 32 of box 12 to limit insertion thereinto.

Blade 44 is also provided with an aperture 52 suitably positioned toreceive apex portion 24 when terminals 10 and 42 are fully mated. Insuch a case, detent 26 engages wall 54 to prevent accidentaldisengagement of terminals 10 and 42 and to provide positive locking ofterminal 42 within terminal 10'. Blade 44 is also provided with recesses56 to provide greater retention of blade 44 within terminal 10. Positiveengagement of the terminals may also be provided by eliminating aperture52 and providing a detent member or indentation in the lower surface ofblade 44 adapted to engage detent 26.

Terminals 10 and 42 are mated by inserting blade 44 of terminal 42 intobox 12 of terminal 10. Bevelled portion 46 of blade 44 engages upwardlysloped member 16 of box 12, thus allowing blade 42 to enter box 10 at aslight angle and in line with the insertion force. As blade 44 isfurther inserted into box 12, rails 34 and 36 are flexed upwardly whilethe apex of the pyramidally shaped bottom is forced downwardly. Afterblade 44 has been inserted all the way into box 12, detent 26 Will snapinto aperture 52, thus relieving the upward pressure on rails 34 and 36and allowing them to flex downwardly. Blade 44 will be limited in itsinsertion depth through the bearing of members 48 and 50 on side walls30 and 32.

Terminal 42 will now be firmly engaged within box 12 of terminal 10 andaccidental disengagement will be prevented by the interaction of detent26 and aperture 52.

Extraction of blade 44 from box 12 is accomplished by applyingsufiicient force to blade 44 so as to depress the bottom of box 12 andflex rails 34 and 36 upwardly sufficiently to disengage detent 26 fromaperture 52. Blade 44 may then be easily removed.

The forces required to insert and extract blade 44 may be increased ordecreased by decreasing or increasing the distance between detent 26 andcorners 38 and 40 of rails 34 and 36 Although a preferred form of thepresent invention ha been described and shown hereinabove, it will beunderstood that other forms and embodiments evident to those skilled inthe art are considered within the scope of the present invention. Thusthe scope of the present invention is not to be limited by saidembodiment.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical terminal having a female receptacle box, said boxcomprising a pyramidally shaped bottom, longitudinally extending sidewalls integral with said bottom and inwardly extending rails integralwith said side walls, said pyramidally shaped bottom having an apexportion forming a detent.

2. The terminal of claim 1 wherein said rails extend downwardly to forma space between said detent and said rails.

3. The terminal of claim 1 wherein said pyramidally shaped bottomcomprises integrally formed substantially triangularly shaped memberwhose apexes converge at said apex portion of said bottom.

4. The terminal of claim 1 wherein said rails are provided with roundedlower corners.

5. The terminal of claim 1 including a beveled ledge at the front ofsaid box, integral with said bottom.

6. In an electrical terminal, a female receptacle box comprising apyramidally shaped upwardly projecting bottom, said bottom having anapex portion forming a detent, a pair of longitudinally extending sidewalls integral with said bottom and projecting upwardly therefrom and apair of rails respectively integral with said side walls and extendinginwardly therefrom.

7. The terminal of claim 6 wherein said rails extend downwardly and haverounded lower longitudinal edges.

8. The terminal of claim 6 wherein said pyramidally shaped bottomcomprises four integrally formed upwardly extending triangularly shapedmembers, the apexes of said members forming said apex portion.

9. The terminal of claim 8 wherein the apex of one of said members formsa detent.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1962 Olsson 339-95 4/ 1963Berg.

